Iron change?

[Gianluca]

As a 20 HC player i feel my irons are the best part of my game, I currently use G20 but honestly i hate the look and feel off of them and looking down at the huge head size is a problem for me. I was looking at the jpx 825 pro, i20 and the rocketbladez tour irons, I love the look off of all of them and i'm confident i could play those irons nicely. I feel like all the height the G20's are giving me i dont really need since i have never struggled with my iron play. I got fit for a driver recently and the guy in the shop told me u would want to be off at least 15 to hit those irons i mentioned. I recently struggled a lot mainly due to grip problems i'm confident in a bout 1 week i can get back to my old ways and fix my game. In your honest opinion do u think i should try them or just wait till my HC lowers a bit more?

[k-troop]

If irons are the best part of your game then why do you want new irons? Did you have a previous set you liked better? If so then what were they?

[Gianluca]

If irons are the best part of your game then why do you want new irons? Did you have a previous set you liked better? If so then what were they?

I purely hate the clunkyness of my current irons, i would prefer a more sleek looking iron and they are going to high up in the air for my liking. I wouldn't say i need new irons i just plan on playing much more golf this year and would like a set of irons to cover me when i inevitably drop my handicap as i will be playing more than double what i have played in previous years.

[PirateJim]

The Ping G20s are sort of clunky looking.  They are also excellent irons (in my ever humble opinion).  I bought my G20s when my handicap was 20 and give them a good bit of the credit for helping me lower it to a current of 10.5.  (Naturally, I give my own perseverance the most credit :-)

Ultimately, you will do as you choose because it's your game and your money, but I question whether my game is really up to switching to the clubs you're listing.  They make game improvement irons for use in improving your game.  Buying "players" irons in anticipation of the day you will no longer need to improve your game may not work out as well as it sounds when rationalizing the purchase of something shiny that you want.

I do understand the desire for something new and shiny though!  I'm currently thinking about a set of Titleist AP1s with, perhaps, a few AP2s mixed in the scoring clubs (8 - GW is my current thought, but I'll heed the advice of my fitter).  Perhaps you should take a look at the AP1s as well?  They are far less "clunky" than the G20s.  The Ping G25s are also a lot less "clunky" than the G20s, as are the JPX 825s while still having the game improvement characteristics that double digit handicappers like us can really use.

Final thoughts; a high ball trajectory can equal softer landings on the green.  If you decide to get new sticks, hang on to the G20s for a while...

[Ernest Jones]

Buying "players" irons in anticipation of the day you will no longer need to improve your game may not work out as well as it sounds when rationalizing the purchase of something shiny that you want.

There will never come a day when you no longer have to work on your game. To the OP, my brother-in-laws both have G-20 irons. I know what you mean by the visual aspect of them. They both swear by them but I can't hit them worth a fig. The shape of them just screws with my head, I also feel like the shafts are longer then mine but have never really checked. FWIW, I've hit the i15 irons at the range and found they were plenty forgiving and I'm around a 25 cap. They call them player's irons but there's still a significant amount of perimeter weighting on them but they do have much narrower sole and top line. If you're a player that has weight shift issues the G series might be better because I think they can really help mitigate the damage of hitting it a little fat but if that's not your issue and you also don't have trouble getting the ball up in the air, then the I series might be worth looking at, assuming you want to stay with Ping. And, of course, as PirateJim said, if you can, get something new AND keep the G20s. ^^^^^^Is 4 commas too many for one sentence? :-P Edit* just to be clear, I'm not saying the G20 irons aren't any good, they're excellent, but they're not for everyone.

[Gianluca]

I [quote name="Ernest Jones" url="/t/70757/iron-change#post_912288"] There will never come a day when you no longer have to work on your game. To the OP, my brother-in-laws both have G-20 irons. I know what you mean by the visual aspect of them. They both swear by them but I can't hit them worth a fig. The shape of them just screws with my head, I also feel like the shafts are longer then mine but have never really checked. FWIW, I've hit the i15 irons at the range and found they were plenty forgiving and I'm around a 25 cap. They call them player's irons but there's still a significant amount of perimeter weighting on them but they do have much narrower sole and top line. If you're a player that has weight shift issues the G series might be better because I think they can really help mitigate the damage of hitting it a little fat but if that's not your issue and you also don't have trouble getting the ball up in the air, then the I series might be worth looking at, assuming you want to stay with Ping. And, of course, as PirateJim said, if you can, get something new AND keep the G20s. ^^^^^^Is 4 commas too many for one sentence? :-P Edit* just to be clear, I'm not saying the G20 irons aren't any good, they're excellent, but they're not for everyone.[/quote] I was actually looking at the i20 irons now, the looks off of them is what im most interested in as well as holding onto them for the next 3-4 years maybe even longer. I feel like i can get good use out of them and can cover my handicap for quite a long time. I would prefer to do the work with my irons rather than have them do the work for me which i feel the G20 are doing right now.

[SloverUT]

If I was looking for a more sleeker looking iron yet wanted to stay in the game improvement area I I would look at the Mizuno JPX-825 regular, not pro.  It has a very sleek look compared to the G20's and are great clubs.   I still use the G20 myself  but I may have gotten the 825's if I could have afforded them at the time.

[Ernest Jones]

I I was actually looking at the i20 irons now, the looks off of them is what im most interested in as well as holding onto them for the next 3-4 years maybe even longer. I feel like i can get good use out of them and can cover my handicap for quite a long time.

@Golfingdad plays the I series (not sure which model) and he is around a 5 or 6 so I wouldn't worry about outgrowing them.

[PirateJim]

One very positive aspect of the i20s is that you could create your own mixed set with the G20s quite easily if you find that you want a bit more help from your longer irons.  That's an option I have also considered, but I've gotten to be sort of a Titleist fan so...

[cipher]

One very positive aspect of the i20s is that you could create your own mixed set with the G20s quite easily if you find that you want a bit more help from your longer irons.  That's an option I have also considered, but I've gotten to be sort of a Titleist fan so...

I tried that but could not get used to the bulky head size of the G20s.

@Golfingdad plays the I series (not sure which model) and he is around a 5 or 6 so I wouldn't worry about outgrowing them.

Gianluca, I play the i20s as well, and so do about a dozen tour pros who have also not outgown them.

[PirateJim]

I tried that but could not get used to the bulky head size of the G20s.

Gianluca, I play the i20s as well, and so do about a dozen tour pros who have also not outgown them.

But you sort of underscore my point.  At a 3.8 handicap index you have the luxury of being much more discriminating about club aesthetics while still playing well than those of us who would seem (based on our handicaps) to be less precise ball strikers.  I don't think that, in this case, the issue is so much whether one will "outgrow" clubs that are more "player" oriented, so much as at what point in one's skill progression he or she has "outgrown" game improvement clubs and is really best served by going to irons aimed at highly skilled players and tour pros?

[cipher]

But you sort of underscore my point.  At a 3.8 handicap index you have the luxury of being much more discriminating about club aesthetics while still playing well than those of us who would seem (based on our handicaps) to be less precise ball strikers.  I don't think that, in this case, the issue is so much whether one will "outgrow" clubs that are more "player" oriented, so much as at what point in one's skill progression he or she has "outgrown" game improvement clubs and is really best served by going to irons aimed at highly skilled players and tour pros?

I disagree a bit to the extent that the G20 is that much more of a GI club than the i20.  With the i20s I found the turf interaction actually better out of the fairway, and it was easier to hit out of the rough with them over the G20s.  And I am not a very good ballstriker as well.  I guess I consider them a nice looking GI club.  They do not really look like that much of one, but I would say the forgiveness is not much different. The s55 model is aimed at the pros, but there are still plenty of pro who enjoy the added help the i20's provide with a look that is nice.  The two things I think a GI club actually does are help the ball into the air better and add distance consistency on off center hits.   The i20 irons do this.

[saevel25]

I disagree a bit to the extent that the G20 is that much more of a GI club than the i20.  With the i20s I found the turf interaction actually better out of the fairway, and it was easier to hit out of the rough with them over the G20s.  And I am not a very good ballstriker as well.  I guess I consider them a nice looking GI club.  They do not really look like that much of one, but I would say the forgiveness is not much different. The s55 model is aimed at the pros, but there are still plenty of pro who enjoy the added help the i20's provide with a look that is nice.  The two things I think a GI club actually does are help the ball into the air better and add distance consistency on off center hits.   The i20 irons do this.

A little off topic: Cipher, I see you are now the owner of the "Driveway". Your now announcing your authority with that ear shattering ball striking ;)

Back on Topic. I agree that many players need some sort of forgiveness. It use to be cavity back, perimeter weighting versus muscle backs. Now the lines have been blurred a ton. Unless your getting a true muscle back iron, most irons have some sort of GI built into them. My MP 59's are basically muscleback irons, with some perimeter weighting using different density metal inserts. As well as using a slightly larger club head for being a player iron.

I think you can get a high GI club and like the look. Cobra with their S3 made half of the top line black so it looks thinner. These little things will bring better players to those type of clubs, because they look more like a player iron. I think what is happening more is players can get away with a player iron for the short irons, PW - 7 irons. Then you just a more GI iron for the longer irons. My MP 59's, the 4 irons is just too small looking for me. So I ordered a JPX-825 pro 4 and 5 irons. Something with more forgiveness, easier to launch, and looks better to me at address. So you can get creative as well.

[PirateJim]

.... I think what is happening more is players can get away with a player iron for the short irons, PW - 7 irons. Then you just a more GI iron for the longer irons....

As I said, I am thinking of a mixed bag of Titleist AP1 and AP2 in the shorter irons, but there's a part of me that would much rather go straight AP2s.  They sure are great looking, and much like the i20s, have some significant GI features compared to actual blades like the Titleist MBs.  But I am still struggling with the personal question of when it is really appropriate in my game's progress to switch to that sort of club without doing more harm than good.  I am very much enjoying hearing everyone's thoughts on when it is really appropriate to move up from SGI to GI to "Players GI" and finally to blades.  I know there is no single answer, but wish there was.

We've drifted somewhat away from the original topic which was clubs for Gainluca who is playing to a 20 currently.  My original intent wasn't to bash i20s (or any other clubs) but to suggest that there are some clubs out there that are considerably less "clunky" than the G20s but which retain a lot more forgiveness than those he had first listed.  I fear jumping too far ahead along the spectrum of club choices may do more harm to him than good because I have the same concerns for my own game.

[cipher]

A little off topic: Cipher, I see you are now the owner of the "Driveway". Your now announcing your authority with that ear shattering ball striking ;)

Back on Topic. I agree that many players need some sort of forgiveness. It use to be cavity back, perimeter weighting versus muscle backs. Now the lines have been blurred a ton. Unless your getting a true muscle back iron, most irons have some sort of GI built into them. My MP 59's are basically muscleback irons, with some perimeter weighting using different density metal inserts. As well as using a slightly larger club head for being a player iron.

I think you can get a high GI club and like the look. Cobra with their S3 made half of the top line black so it looks thinner. These little things will bring better players to those type of clubs, because they look more like a player iron. I think what is happening more is players can get away with a player iron for the short irons, PW - 7 irons. Then you just a more GI iron for the longer irons. My MP 59's, the 4 irons is just too small looking for me. So I ordered a JPX-825 pro 4 and 5 irons. Something with more forgiveness, easier to launch, and looks better to me at address. So you can get creative as well.

I agree fully, great post.

And yes I love blowing other player's eardrums out with my Driveway while they make fun of me for it!  They when we get up to play our second shots I just stand there in there middle of the fairway with a smile saying, "You're away".

[irishmike27]

I agree that looks can play an important role. I'm not looking to replace my mx-23s anytime soon, but while checking out what's new in the stores, the heads if the GI clubs do seem quite large compared to what I'm used to staring at .

[rustyredcab]

To the OP: what do want from your new irons that you are not getting now? (other than good looks)

I am a Mizuno fan. Have been since I first hit JPX 800 pro's at Golfsmith a few years ago. Fell in love. I was looking for more consistent distance and short irons I could chip and control that distance too. I found that in the 800 Pro's and then got even more of it from my current MP-53's. I was a closer to a 13 than a 20, but I'm not sure how much the number matters compared to your "ball striking."

My advise is to find clubs you love to look at and that make you want to practice and hit them well.

[Lihu]

I I was actually looking at the i20 irons now, the looks off of them is what im most interested in as well as holding onto them for the next 3-4 years maybe even longer. I feel like i can get good use out of them and can cover my handicap for quite a long time. I would prefer to do the work with my irons rather than have them do the work for me which i feel the G20 are doing right now.

We're about the same HC, and I really like my i20 irons. They have a toe weight to help with toe hits. They do look nice. Wait for a sale, because the newer ones are coming soon.